So it's been 1 year in my GR STI. Comparisons inside.
10-03-2009, 11:42 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So it's been 1 year in my GR STI. Comparisons inside.
What can I say.... 
I got an email saying this board misses me (yeah, right!) so this is probably my last thread.
I loved the RX-8; super handling in stock form, suicide doors, great stereo, high revving rotary... but it lacks masculinity (and ***** that go with it). Don't get me wrong here! I drove mine for 60000miles and appreciated them, but this was not a good car for canadian weather. I got stuck in my own driveway a few times... really. Now, I don't even know where my shovel is anymore.
I actually wanted to upgrade the RX-8... but no mod was worth it. The only thing i could do was add a subwoofer. Which i did and it was a good upgrade. But for power.... not alot i could do to get decent gains. Which is actually good because that's what I would expect from a good performance japanese car: it was tuned from the factory.
Now about the sti. Handling is ... ok. Steering is muffled and being an AWD, it's heavy and it understeers. I actually had to tame her before driving aggresively. There is a learning curve. I know now why so many of them are wrecked. You can't slam the brakes when you're in trouble. You actually have to downshift, WOT and aim where you want to go with both hands on the wheel.
I put down 2000$ USD on the sti to have it professionally moded and tuned. I gained about 21% wtq and 14% whp. So starting from 300hp/tq, you can see that dollar for dollar, this was a wise decision. Powerband shifted almost 1000rpms also. I get 320wtq at 3100rpm, and stays there until 5k. Power is good now. I ran a 12.5sec on the quarter mile, versus 13.3ish. Everything else is stock except the TBE, tune and drop in air filter. Next on the list are coilovers and swaybars, and possibly an anti-lift kit. But winter is coming so i'll wait until spring. The stock suspension is nice and somewhat firm, but driving aggressively puts the chassis out of the suspensions' control quite easily.
The stereo sucks too. I have the stock nav (because 2008s didn't have any options, only one model) and although it has dolby surround sound, dvd player, 8 to 10 speakers (not sure
), it still has to be cranked up to 75% to get decent volume while driving. And what is produced is not very ...... even. Sure there's the EQ, but the speakers/amp are not cutting it. The sti has more rattles than the mazda, btw.
I'm averaging around 20miles per gallon, versus 14 in the mazda. Funny thing though, the mazda drank gas all the time, but the subie only drinks when i'm flooring it (and still...). Interesting how a 1.3liter burns 50% more fuel than a turbo'd 2.5l that produces twice the power.
Sti > rx8? I'm inclined to say yes. It's alot more reliable. And i'm not afraid of b16s and neons anymore. But it all depends on where you live, and if you have the means to own more than one car. The RX-8, to me, is a pure summer car. If I lived in the south, I'd probably go back to 2wd. The weight of awd is costly in many aspects, and the advantages are minimum if you are on clean tarmac year round.
So that's about it, feel free to ask questions, i'll do what i can to stay objective.
oh and I did test drive the evo. Was not impresssed. The subie felt stronger, tougher. And the general seated position was also better. Differential settings were alot more customizable in the subie. And was almost 10000$ less. Need i say more?
cool, new emoticons since my last visit!
I got an email saying this board misses me (yeah, right!) so this is probably my last thread.
I loved the RX-8; super handling in stock form, suicide doors, great stereo, high revving rotary... but it lacks masculinity (and ***** that go with it). Don't get me wrong here! I drove mine for 60000miles and appreciated them, but this was not a good car for canadian weather. I got stuck in my own driveway a few times... really. Now, I don't even know where my shovel is anymore.
I actually wanted to upgrade the RX-8... but no mod was worth it. The only thing i could do was add a subwoofer. Which i did and it was a good upgrade. But for power.... not alot i could do to get decent gains. Which is actually good because that's what I would expect from a good performance japanese car: it was tuned from the factory.
Now about the sti. Handling is ... ok. Steering is muffled and being an AWD, it's heavy and it understeers. I actually had to tame her before driving aggresively. There is a learning curve. I know now why so many of them are wrecked. You can't slam the brakes when you're in trouble. You actually have to downshift, WOT and aim where you want to go with both hands on the wheel.
I put down 2000$ USD on the sti to have it professionally moded and tuned. I gained about 21% wtq and 14% whp. So starting from 300hp/tq, you can see that dollar for dollar, this was a wise decision. Powerband shifted almost 1000rpms also. I get 320wtq at 3100rpm, and stays there until 5k. Power is good now. I ran a 12.5sec on the quarter mile, versus 13.3ish. Everything else is stock except the TBE, tune and drop in air filter. Next on the list are coilovers and swaybars, and possibly an anti-lift kit. But winter is coming so i'll wait until spring. The stock suspension is nice and somewhat firm, but driving aggressively puts the chassis out of the suspensions' control quite easily.
The stereo sucks too. I have the stock nav (because 2008s didn't have any options, only one model) and although it has dolby surround sound, dvd player, 8 to 10 speakers (not sure
), it still has to be cranked up to 75% to get decent volume while driving. And what is produced is not very ...... even. Sure there's the EQ, but the speakers/amp are not cutting it. The sti has more rattles than the mazda, btw.I'm averaging around 20miles per gallon, versus 14 in the mazda. Funny thing though, the mazda drank gas all the time, but the subie only drinks when i'm flooring it (and still...). Interesting how a 1.3liter burns 50% more fuel than a turbo'd 2.5l that produces twice the power.
Sti > rx8? I'm inclined to say yes. It's alot more reliable. And i'm not afraid of b16s and neons anymore. But it all depends on where you live, and if you have the means to own more than one car. The RX-8, to me, is a pure summer car. If I lived in the south, I'd probably go back to 2wd. The weight of awd is costly in many aspects, and the advantages are minimum if you are on clean tarmac year round.
So that's about it, feel free to ask questions, i'll do what i can to stay objective.
oh and I did test drive the evo. Was not impresssed. The subie felt stronger, tougher. And the general seated position was also better. Differential settings were alot more customizable in the subie. And was almost 10000$ less. Need i say more?
cool, new emoticons since my last visit!
Last edited by ReZ-8; 10-03-2009 at 11:44 AM.
10-03-2009, 11:55 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad you like your Scooby, personally the second I move to a snowey state, that is the exact car I will buy. RWD in snow is a joke. As for now I rather enjoy the RX8 if for no other reason then I don't hardly ever see any on the road. You are a Bus' are everywhere. Gas milleage is solved with a motorcycle for a daily.
10-03-2009, 12:00 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad to see you enjoying your sti. If I was still living in Canada, I probably would have got the scooby first. But I live in FL and a rwd is more fun.
btw the rotary has always swilled the gas and a piston engine always uses less gas when you don't use the turbos. I have no problem with the gas mileage as I knew what I was getting into when I bought my '09 GT. Nothing sounds like a RX8 at 9 000 rpm. Try that on your wagon.
As far as masculinity goes, I think you are so wrong ...your car is still an econobox that is tuned within an inch of its life. The RX8 has way better lines and looks like a sportscar.
btw the rotary has always swilled the gas and a piston engine always uses less gas when you don't use the turbos. I have no problem with the gas mileage as I knew what I was getting into when I bought my '09 GT. Nothing sounds like a RX8 at 9 000 rpm. Try that on your wagon.
As far as masculinity goes, I think you are so wrong ...your car is still an econobox that is tuned within an inch of its life. The RX8 has way better lines and looks like a sportscar.
10-03-2009, 12:44 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why do you say that it's tuned within a inch of its life? I've dumped clutches, spun all 4, missed shifts, drifted, even went up a ski trail with it. Compression on the suby is the same than when i bought it. My 8 blew it's engine 2000miles after i got rid of it.
If fact, my 8 had a hard time just STARTING. Could barely chirp 2nd and did 14.5 on the quarter. Put both on a track, ANY track and see who finishes first. 9000rpm... yay... at 135wtq. I'll be shifting to 3rd while you reach 9k, and i'll be to far to hear it anyways.
Just saying an STI is an econobox makes me
No offense, but I think your ego is using your keyboard.
I didn't start this thread to start war. I have yet to see an sti get pwnd by a rx8. I'm talking stock here. We all know monsters exist for about every model.
I loved my rx-8. Don't make me hate people who still own them, please.
10-03-2009, 12:58 PM
#5
went back to srsly broke
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Flushing, NY
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Excuse me?
Why do you say that it's tuned within a inch of its life? I've dumped clutches, spun all 4, missed shifts, drifted, even went up a ski trail with it. Compression on the suby is the same than when i bought it. My 8 blew it's engine 2000miles after i got rid of it.
If fact, my 8 had a hard time just STARTING. Could barely chirp 2nd and did 14.5 on the quarter. Put both on a track, ANY track and see who finishes first. 9000rpm... yay... at 135wtq. I'll be shifting to 3rd while you reach 9k, and i'll be to far to hear it anyways.
Just saying an STI is an econobox makes me
No offense, but I think your ego is using your keyboard.
I didn't start this thread to start war. I have yet to see an sti get pwnd by a rx8. I'm talking stock here. We all know monsters exist for about every model.
I loved my rx-8. Don't make me hate people who still own them, please.
Why do you say that it's tuned within a inch of its life? I've dumped clutches, spun all 4, missed shifts, drifted, even went up a ski trail with it. Compression on the suby is the same than when i bought it. My 8 blew it's engine 2000miles after i got rid of it.
If fact, my 8 had a hard time just STARTING. Could barely chirp 2nd and did 14.5 on the quarter. Put both on a track, ANY track and see who finishes first. 9000rpm... yay... at 135wtq. I'll be shifting to 3rd while you reach 9k, and i'll be to far to hear it anyways.
Just saying an STI is an econobox makes me
No offense, but I think your ego is using your keyboard.
I didn't start this thread to start war. I have yet to see an sti get pwnd by a rx8. I'm talking stock here. We all know monsters exist for about every model.
I loved my rx-8. Don't make me hate people who still own them, please.
But I do love the STI. If i didn't get the RX-8, I would have gotten an STI.
10-03-2009, 01:04 PM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When i think of all the other crap cars on the market today, i think we should enjoy our common pride, and not argue.
Go pick fights with the GM crowd, of Ford, or Hyundai, or.... well, you get the picture.
This is aimed at iwc3707, btw... Who probably has never driven an sti.
Peace.
Last edited by ReZ-8; 10-03-2009 at 01:06 PM. Reason: forgot to point a finger.
10-03-2009, 04:19 PM
#7
RX8. Yeah, I get it.
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I appreciate the sti for everything it is and i like it.
But for me, when i look at an sti the last thing i think to myself is "wow, look at that awesome sportscar!" To me it looks like a box that can go fast. =/
When i decided i wanted to buy an '09 sportscar, what i wanted was a) looks, and b) sound. An rx8 is one of the sexiest cars on the road. When people see it they know its a sports car. It turns heads. It causes rubber neck syndrome. Sti does not, sorry. When people hear the rotary, they look and ask themselves why it sounds so odd and different. I like that.
Is an rx8 gonna beat an sti in a drag stock vs stock. Nope...but i didnt buy it to drag or win races. I bought it cos i wanted an incredible ride experience that looks and sounds incredible. That is what i found in the rx8. It is also what i didnt find in the sti.
Peace
But for me, when i look at an sti the last thing i think to myself is "wow, look at that awesome sportscar!" To me it looks like a box that can go fast. =/
When i decided i wanted to buy an '09 sportscar, what i wanted was a) looks, and b) sound. An rx8 is one of the sexiest cars on the road. When people see it they know its a sports car. It turns heads. It causes rubber neck syndrome. Sti does not, sorry. When people hear the rotary, they look and ask themselves why it sounds so odd and different. I like that.
Is an rx8 gonna beat an sti in a drag stock vs stock. Nope...but i didnt buy it to drag or win races. I bought it cos i wanted an incredible ride experience that looks and sounds incredible. That is what i found in the rx8. It is also what i didnt find in the sti.
Peace
10-03-2009, 08:27 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Pembroke Pines, FL
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^lol. Love both cars as well...If it wasnt an rx8 I would have probably got either the '05 sti or an evo IX. both keep it mind both of these cars already come with with turbos...throw a turbo in an 8 and it will leave ur sh*t in the dust. Theres plenty of people on this site that have better performing cars than you...so dont thrash the 8. Only reason I dont like the new STI is because...well...no offense but it looks like sh*t. but the previous model is badass
10-03-2009, 08:48 PM
#10
FLAME ON!
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Strip Club
Posts: 948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
**** your 4 door grocery getter with a park bench. a real sports car can do a burn out 
see we have to drive our car where with factory turbo cars all you have to do is step on the gas
see we have to drive our car where with factory turbo cars all you have to do is step on the gas
10-03-2009, 10:55 PM
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I drive a Camry now, I bet ya that my super duper awesome JDM tyte yo Camry can outrun your POS rotary powered car!
rez8 take your station wagon back to the sti forum
10-03-2009, 11:05 PM
#14
SARX Legend
iTrader: (46)
I hate stupid comparisons. Good luck man, I owned a pretty fast WRX back in the day and that car saved my life in an accident, was reliable, braked well, and was fun as hell.
I put 85k trouble free miles on it until I was broad side by a drunk driver (walked away without a scratch). We all move on to different things. None of us will own our RX-8's forever so I don't see why so many feel they have to defend it this way. I have 100k on my 04' RX-8 and when it's gone I will have a lot of bad and good things to say.
I put 85k trouble free miles on it until I was broad side by a drunk driver (walked away without a scratch). We all move on to different things. None of us will own our RX-8's forever so I don't see why so many feel they have to defend it this way. I have 100k on my 04' RX-8 and when it's gone I will have a lot of bad and good things to say.
10-03-2009, 11:09 PM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you would have correctly read my post you might have easily figured out that i don't hang here anymore. But obviously you did not.
Oh, it's a hatch, btw. If you can't tell teh difference, you shouldn't prove your ignorance as such.
I feel for the elder rx8club members.... looking down on you youngings with great pride i'm sure.
I've seen many turbo'd 8s get spanked by wrxs, let alone protuned stage 2 stis.
I think most of you are killing what love i had left for this unique car, the rx-8.
Thanks.
10-03-2009, 11:32 PM
#17
rotary user
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Madison, NC
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i just bought my wife a 08 impreza hatch. she likes it. i want to make it go faster but it's alot like the 8 in that department, buy a sti or live with it.
glad you stopped by, dont pay attention to the haters.
glad you stopped by, dont pay attention to the haters.
10-03-2009, 11:53 PM
#18
NO A/C :(
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wow...
If you would have correctly read my post you might have easily figured out that i don't hang here anymore. But obviously you did not.
Oh, it's a hatch, btw. If you can't tell teh difference, you shouldn't prove your ignorance as such.
I feel for the elder rx8club members.... looking down on you youngings with great pride i'm sure.
I've seen many turbo'd 8s get spanked by wrxs, let alone protuned stage 2 stis.
I think most of you are killing what love i had left for this unique car, the rx-8.
Thanks.
If you would have correctly read my post you might have easily figured out that i don't hang here anymore. But obviously you did not.
Oh, it's a hatch, btw. If you can't tell teh difference, you shouldn't prove your ignorance as such.
I feel for the elder rx8club members.... looking down on you youngings with great pride i'm sure.
I've seen many turbo'd 8s get spanked by wrxs, let alone protuned stage 2 stis.
I think most of you are killing what love i had left for this unique car, the rx-8.
Thanks.
...... Enjoy!
10-03-2009, 11:57 PM
#19
Yeah Sioux Sioux!!!
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Dickinson, North Dakota
Posts: 1,235
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my brother has a reg impreza (not as nice i know) and i absolutely love his car alot of the time, the perfect combination would be to have both 
slow cruising days or calmer days when you might want to take a corner fast every so often = rx8
any winter day, go fast day, or want better gas mileage day = STI
slow cruising days or calmer days when you might want to take a corner fast every so often = rx8
any winter day, go fast day, or want better gas mileage day = STI
10-04-2009, 12:47 AM
#23
zoom fuckin zoom
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: PA, USA
Posts: 386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The original STi sedans were ok looking in a rally car for the road way but imo I find the new STi hatchback hideous, fender bulges on a station wagon only go so far, that wavy grill/headlight look doesnt turn my head. That said I dont like the new WRX sedan as well as the originals either same for the new Legacy GT vs the original LGT it looks bland like a camry/accord now. Subarus styling is going down hill imo. The power is its only saving grace. Purely my opinion but Id have an EVO 10 or Lancer Ralliart in a second over the new subies. Older STi sedans vs. EVO 8/9 is a closer battle in the looks dept.
No such thing as a 4 door sports car imo no matter what maxima ads say but Im glad you like your STi and youre right about the winter thing, I keep my 8 parked until the plows run even then I dont drive it to work Ive got a fwd on snowtires for winter.
No such thing as a 4 door sports car imo no matter what maxima ads say but Im glad you like your STi and youre right about the winter thing, I keep my 8 parked until the plows run even then I dont drive it to work Ive got a fwd on snowtires for winter.
10-04-2009, 02:34 AM
#25
Daddy's Home...
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: sevenONEfour
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
these comparison threads don't usually last too long.
i hope you enjoy the car your STI though...
i think if i had an STI i could easily get into a lot of trouble with it.
i hope you enjoy the car your STI though...
i think if i had an STI i could easily get into a lot of trouble with it.